The armed forces were formed in 1947 when Pakistan became independent from the British Empire.[7] Since then, the armed forces have played a decisive role in the modern history of Pakistan, fighting major wars with India in 1947, 1965 and 1971, and on several occasions seizing control of the civilian government to restore order in the country.[7]Border clashes with Afghanistan led to the creation of paramilitary forces to deal with civil unrest and secure border areas. In 2010, the military had approximately 617,000 personnel on active duty, with 513,000 in the reserves, 304,000 in the paramilitary forces, and approximately 20,000 serving in the Strategic Plans Division forces, giving a total of almost 1,451,000.[8] The armed forces have a large pool of volunteers and as such, conscription is not, and has never been needed.[9]

The Pakistan Armed Forces are the best organized institution in the country, and are highly respected in civil society.[10] Since the founding of Pakistan, the military has played a key role in holding the state together, promoting a feeling of nationhood and providing a bastion of selfless service.[11] In Addition, the Pakistan Armed Forces are the largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping efforts, with more than 10,000 personnel deployed overseas in 2007.[12] Other foreign deployments have consisted of Pakistani military personnel serving as military advisers in African and Arab countries. The Pakistani military has maintained combat divisions and brigade-strength presences in some of the Arab countries during the Arab-Israeli Wars, and the first Gulf War to help the Coalition, as well as the Somalian and Bosnian conflicts.

The roots of the Pakistan military trace back to the British Indian Army, which included many personnel from present day Pakistan. Pictured are troops of the Khyber Rifles, striking a pose, circa 1895.

Initially, the Pakistani military retained British military traditions and doctrine until 1956 when the United States dispatched a special Military Assistance Advisory Group to Pakistan, from whence the American military tradition and doctrine in general was adopted by the Pakistan's military.[16] In March 1956, the Pakistani military order of precedence of three services changed from "Navy-Army-Air Force" to "Army-Navy-Air Force".[17] In the 1990s, the additional reforms of the military eventually changed the order of precedence to Army-Navy-Air Force-Marines; though the Marines remained a vital branch within the Navy, not a separate military service.[18]

Between 1947 to 1971, Pakistan has fought three direct conventional wars against India (the Indo Pakistani wars), with the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 witnessing the seccession of East-Pakistan as independent Bangladesh.[19] Rising tensions with Afghanistan in the 1960s and an indirect proxy war fought against the Soviet Union in the 1970s led to a sharp rise in the development of Pakistan Armed Forces.[20] In 1999, an extended period of intense border skirmishing with India, the so called Kargil War, resulted in a redeployment of forces.[21] As of 2014, the military is conducting counterinsurgency operations along the border areas of Afghanistan, while continuing to participate in several United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Since 1957, the armed forces have taken control from the civilian government in various military coups to ostensibly restore order in the country, citing corruption and gross inefficiency on the part of the civilian leadership. While many Pakistanis have supported these seizures of power,[22] others have claimed that political instability, lawlessness, and corruption are direct consequences of military rule.[23][24][25]

A large number of Pakistan Armed Forces personnel are deployed overseas as part of the United Nations' peacekeeping missions. In 2010, an estimated 12,000 personnel were serving abroad, making Pakistan a large contributor of troops to the UN.[12]

As of 2010 estimations by the national and international bodies, about 617,000 people[8] were on active duty in the military, with an additional 420,000 in the paramilitary forces[8] and 513,000 people in reserve.[31] It is an all volunteer military, but conscription can be enacted at the request of the President with the approval of the parliament of Pakistan.[32] The military is the seventh largest in the world and has a large number of troops deployed around the globe in military assistance and peacekeeping operations.[31]

Pakistan is the only predominantly Muslim country in which women serve as high-ranking officers and in combat jobs as a sizable female unit of army and air force has actively involved in the military operations against Talibans.[33][34][35][36]

In 2003, the service uniforms in each inter-service were revived and orders were made to issue new uniforms roughly based on the American military.[41] With Marines reestablished in 2004, the UCPCamouflage uniforms are now worn by each inter-service in respect to their colors; the flag wore on the shoulders became compulsory.[42]

The Army's standard UCP is now primarily based on their own pixelated version of their arid desert patterns.[43] The army's UCP varies as depending on their type of missions and deployments.[43] The Navy's UCP is based on a design that incorporates sparse black and medium grey shapes on a light grey background.[43] The Marines have their own woodland pattern featuring light brown, olive green and dark blue shapes on a tan or light olive background.[43] Slight color variations have been noted. Other than a greenishflightg-suit and a standard service dress, the Air Forces's ABU camouflage features the variation of the six-color desert pattern.[43] In each inter-service's UCP, the name of the inter-service branch, ranks and gallantry badges, are worn in the chest, as the insignia worn on the shoulders as well as the flag which is compulsory.[42]

Evolution of the uniforms and camouflage codes of the Pakistan Armed Forces

Nishan-i-Haider, Highest military decoration of Pakistan. Awarded "to those who have performed acts of greatest heroism or most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger and have shown bravery of the highest order or devotion to the country, in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air.'' As of 2013 this award has been given to ten Pakistani servicemen who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.[48][49]

China's relationship with Pakistan holds great importance for both countries in terms of common interest and geopolitical strategy. The alliance was initially formed to counter the regional influence and military threat posed by India and the Soviet Union. In recent years the friendship has deepened further; China and Pakistan have signed several mutual defense treaties.

China has been a steady source of military equipment and has cooperated with Pakistan in setting up weapons production and modernization facilities.

The two countries are actively involved in several joint projects to enhance each other's military needs, including development and production of the JF-17 Thunder fighter plane, the K-8 Karakorum advanced training aircraft, the Al Khalid tank, AWACS systems, and many other projects. The two countries have held several joint military exercises to enhance cooperation between their armed forces. China is also the largest investor in the Gwadar Deep Sea Port, which is strategically located at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.

Animosity towards India has also led Pakistan and Nepal to form a close military relationship, including the deployment of Pakistani advisers to the Nepalese military. Condemned by India, Great Britain, and the United States between 2004 and 2006 for repressing democracy, the Nepalese monarchy developed military ties with China and Pakistan, who offered extensive support, arms, and equipment for the monarchy's struggle to stay in power in the face of a Maoist insurgency.[53][54]

When India proved reluctant to supply Sri Lanka with weapons, the insurgency-plagued island nation turned to Pakistan. In May 2000, with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels about to recapture their former capital of Jaffna, President Musharraf of Pakistan provided millions of dollars of much-needed armament to the Sri Lankan government.[55] In May 2008, Lt-Gen Fonseka of the Sri Lanka Army held talks with his Pakistan Army counterparts regarding the sale of military equipment, weapons, and ammunition. The sale of 22 Al-Khalidmain battle tanks to the Sri Lanka Army was finalised during these talks, in a deal worth over US$100 million.[56] In April 2009, Sri Lanka requested $25 million worth of 81 mm, 120 mm and 130 mm mortar ammunition, to be delivered within a month, which proved decisive in the defeat of the Tamil Tigers.[57]

Throughout its history, Pakistan has had an on-again/off-again military relationship with the United States.[citation needed] During times of cooperation, US military funding and training have enhanced Pakistan's armed forces; in contrast, severing of US support at critical junctures has led to bitter disillusionment. These wide swings of fortune are something to which the Pakistanis have become accustomed, and they recognize that, whatever the provocation, the relationship with the United States has too much potential benefit to be discarded lightly.[citation needed]

In support of the United States' 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan's armed forces received large amounts of military aid, funding, and training. According to Ministry of Finance calculations, in the three years prior to the attacks of 11 September, Pakistan received approximately $9 million in American military aid; in the three years after, the amount increased to $4.2 billion.[58]

Pakistan's close ties to the nations of the Middle East, based on geography and shared religion, have led to periodic military deployments since the 1960s. The Arab world countries - many of them wealthy but with small populations and limited militaries - have historically depended on regional armies to provide a protective umbrella and military muscle in times of instability and crisis.[66] The Pakistani military has retained a particularly close relationship with Saudi Arabia – a sporadically generous patron; much of the equipment bought from the United States by Pakistan in the 1980s was paid for by the Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait also have been important sources of financial support.[67]

Pakistani military personnel have been posted as military advisers and instructors to the militaries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Kuwait, and the UAE. Pakistan Air Force, Navy, and Army personnel played crucial roles in building the UAE military. Many Arab military officials have been educated at Pakistan's military staff colleges and universities. A combat division commanded by Major-GeneralZia-ul-Haq was instrumental in putting down the Palestinian Black September revolt against King Hussein in Jordan in the early 1970s.

Navy guards marching in 2009 .

Pakistan has enjoyed strong military cooperation with the Iranian military since the 1950s. Iranian leaderMohammad Reza Shah provided free fuel to PAF fighter jets in the 1965 war with India, allowing Pakistani planes to land at Iranian Air Force bases, refuel and take off. The military relationship continued even after the Iranian revolution, as Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the new Iranian government. In the aftermath of the hostage crisis in Tehran, the United States severed its ties with Iran, leading Iran to send its military officers and personnel to be educated at the Pakistani military academies. Relations became difficult following the Soviet war in Afghanistan, when hundreds of foreign fighters (mostly Sunni Arabs) arrived in Pakistan to take part in the Afghan Jihad. PresidentZia-ul-Haq's military administration policy reflected extremist views towards the Shiites and caused religious tensions to rise between Sunni and Shiites in Pakistan, much to the discomfort of Iran. During the Iran-Iraq War, the Arab countries and the United States, who were backing Iraq, pressured Pakistan to discontinue its covert support and military funding for Iran.

The 1980s were a difficult time in military relations for both countries, as Iran was blamed for the rising ethnic tensions between Sunnis and Shiites in Pakistan. The relationship further deteriorated in the 1990s when the Taliban, with Pakistan's support, came to power in Afghanistan. In 1998, Iran and Afghanistan were on the verge of war over the assassination of Iranian diplomats. During this time Iran's relations with India improved, with both supporting the Northern Alliance.

In 2000 the situation began to normalize, with Pakistan and Iran reinstating trade relations. In the wake of the 11 September attacks in the United States and the fall of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, the two countries began rebuilding their military ties. Over the years, diplomatic delegations have been exchanged, and Pakistan has agreed to sell military equipment to Iran. In addition, Pakistan has maintained strong military-to-military ties with Turkey, and would like to use these, as well as its Iranian connections, as a bridge to the new Muslim states of Central Asia.

The military plays a vital role in keeping the Pakistani state together, promoting a spirit of unity and nationhood, and providing a bastion of selfless service to the nation, according to the views of Russian scholar Anatol Lieven.[19] As an institution, the armed forces have been integrated into Pakistani civil society since the establishment of the country in 1947.[81] The military has been involved in building much of the country's infrastructure (such as dams, bridges, canals, power stations, and energy projects) and civil-military input from all sections of the armed forces has helped to build a stable society and professionalism in the armed forces.[81]

In times of natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, army engineers, medical and logistics personnel, and the armed forces generally have played a major role in rescue, relief, and supply efforts.[82] In 2010, armed forces personnel donated one day of salary for their flood effected brethren.[83]

In my opinion, if we have to repeat of past events then we must understand that Military leaders can pressure only up to a point. Beyond that their own position starts getting undermined because the military is after all a mirror image of the civil society from which it is drawn.

According to 2012 reports of the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), around 91.1% of civilian infrastructure in the Federally Administered Tribal Area was built by the armed forces in a policy based on sustainable development plans, to improve the livelihood of ordinary people of the region.[84] According to the Air Force's own statistics, the air force conducted ~693 relief operations in Pakistan and abroad from the fiscal period from 1998-2008.[85] The Air Force carried and distributed thousands of tons of wheat, medicines, shelter camps, and provided military assistance to rehabilitate the disaster-effected areas of the country.[85]

During the wave of floods in the fiscal year of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, the Navy and Marines launched relief operation nationwide and provided healthcare, medicines, relief efforts, and coordinated the distribution of food in the flood-effected area.[86] In Navy's own admission, it had provided 43,850 kg of food and relief goods to flood victims; 5,700 kg of ready-to-cook food, 1,000 kg of dates and 5,000 kg of food has been dispatched to Sukkur. The Pakistan Naval Air Arm had air dropped more than 500 kg of food and relief good in Thal, Ghospur and Mirpur areas.[87]

Engineering units of Navy and Marines built more than 87 houses and distributed to the local IDPs (IDPs); about ~69,011 affected IDPs were treated in Navy and Marines medical camps.[88]

The Youm-e-Difa— Pakistan's day in remembrance of fallen soldiers in 1965 war— is observed on 6 September, each and every year.[89] Memorial services are held in the presence of Pakistan's top military and civil officials.[90] Wreath of flowers are laid in the graves of the fallen soldiers and ceremonies are held in all over the country.[91] The change of guard ceremony takes place at Mazar-e-Quaid, where the cadets of Inter-Services academies present Guard of Honour and take the charge.[89] Additionally, the Youm-e-Fizaya is celebrated on 7 September; and the Youm-e-Bahriya on 8 September.[92]

Under a public policy guidance, strategic weapons and projects are researched and developed entirely by civilian scientists and engineers, who also develop a wide range of delivery systems. On military policy issues, Pakistan issues directives towards "first use"[96] and maintains that its program is based on nuclear deterrence, to peacefully discourage attack by India, Afghanistan, and other countries with large conventional-force advantages over Pakistan.[97] According to United States military sources, Pakistan has achieved survivability in a possible nuclear conflict through second strike capability.[98] Since the early 1990s, Pakistan's nuclear strategists have long emphasized on attaining the "second strike" capability in spite of the "first use" policy.[99] Statements and physical actions by Pakistan have cited the survivability through a second strike, forming a naval controlledC3ISTAR system to serves as "the custodian of the nation's second-strike capability."[100]

In January 2000 the head of United States Central Command, General Anthony Zinni, told NBC that longtime assumptions that India had an edge in the South Asian strategic balance of power were questionable at best. Said Zinni: "Don't assume that the Pakistanis' nuclear capability is inferior to the Indians".[101]

In the military, the Directorate of Military Intelligence (MI) provides intelligence on foreign operations and eliminating sleeper cells within the military to the Army.[17] The Naval Intelligence and the Air Intelligence serves the same purpose of the MI. The intelligence services in each branch are tasked with counterintelligence operations, identifying and eliminating sleeper cells, foreign agents and other anti Pakistani elements within Pakistan.[17] Additional functions involve monitoring high level military and political leaders and safe guarding critical facilities such as military and non-military installations.[17] In each MI, NI, and the AI, the director-generals are usually a two-star officers.[17]

Traditionally, the bulk of intelligence work and efforts in Pakistan has been carried out by the ISI, IB, and the FIA as well as the others in the intelligence community.[17] To provide better coordination and eliminate competition, the National Intelligence Directorate (NID) was established in 2014.[106] The NID serves to the similar purpose as the U.S.NIE, providing statistical analysis and counter insurgency recommendations at all levels of command.[107]

The military justice system rests on the inter-services administrated Judge Advocate General Branch; all military criminal cases are overseen by the high-ranking officials of joint tribunal of the military.[108] Each Inter-service has its own service law: Army Justice Act, promulgated in 1952; the PAF Justice Act, established in 1953; and the Navy Ordinance, enacted in 1961.[109] The identities of active-duty uniformed JAG officials are kept classified and no details of such individuals are made available to media.[108]

All three Inter-service laws are administered by the individual inter-services under the central reporting supervision of the Ministry of Defence (MOD).[109] The army has a four-tier system; the air force, navy, marines have a three-tier systems.[109] The two top levels of all three-tier systems are the general court-martial and district court-martial; the third level comprises the field general court-martial in the army, air force and navy. The fourth level tier comprises the summary court-martial, only effective in the army.[109] The differences in tier levels reflect whether their competence extends to officers or enlisted men only and the severity of the punishment that may be imposed.[109]

The Supreme Court and the civilian courts cannot question decisions handed down by the military judges and double jeopardy is prohibited.[109] In cases where a military personnel is alleged to have committed a crime against a civilian, then the MoD and MoJ determines the prosecution of the case to be tried whether in military or civilian courts have jurisdiction.[109] Former servicemen in civilian life who are accused of felonies committed while on active duty are liable for prosecution under the jurisdiction of military courts.[109] These courts are empowered to mete out a wide range of punishments including death.[109] All sentences of imprisonment are served in military prisons or detention barracks.[109]

At the time of the creation of Pakistan, the country had virtually no military industry or production capability. In 1949-50, the contribution of the industrial sector to the GNP was only 5.8%, of which 4.8% was attributed to small scale industries.[110] The new nation's only major heavy industry operation was the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, which was focused on civil maritime construction. All military industrial materials and weapons systems were either inherited or bought from the United Kingdom.[110]

By 1951, Prime MinisterLiaquat Ali Khan had established the Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) in Wah Military District, with a civilian chemist, Dr. Abdul Hafeez, serving as director and senior scientist.[110] The POF was oriented towards the production of small arms, ammunition, and chemical explosives.[110] During the period of reliance on United States supply, from 1955 to 64, there was little attention given to domestic production. Almost all military weapons and equipment were provided by the United States, as part of Pakistan's membership in SEATO and CENTO.[110] By 1963, the Defence Science and Technology Organization (DESTO) was formed by POF director Hafeez for the purposes of military research and development.[110] After U.S. military assistance was cut off in the 1965 War, followed by the disastrous 1971 War, Pakistan turned to China for help in expanding its military industrial and production capabilities, including the modernization of the facilities at Wah.

Industrial manufacturing in Pakistan from 1973 to 2000.

Faced with defence and security issues involving much larger opponents on both its eastern and western borders, the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Finance require a disproportionate share of the nation's resources to maintain even a minimally effective defensive stance.[109] Since 1971, the military budget of the armed forces grew by 200% in support of armed forces contingency operations.[109] During the administrations of Prime MinistersBenazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, approximately 50–60% of scientific research and funding went to military efforts.[109]

In 1993, Benazir Bhutto's defence budget for the year was set at ₨. 94 billion (US $3.3 billion), which represented 27% of the government's circular spending and 8.9% of GDP, in calculations shown by the United States military.[109] Despite criticism from the country's influential political science sphere,[111] the military budget was increased an additional 10.2% by the government for the fiscal year 2013-14.[112]

In 1987, the Karachi Shipyard Engineering Works (KSEW) began developing submarine technology and rebuilding the submarine base near Port Qasim. In the 1990s, concerns over Pakistan's secretive development of nuclear weapons led to the "Pressler amendment" (introduced by US Senator Larry Pressler) and an economic and military embargo. The Pressler law caused a great panic in the military and each Inter-Services now focused and launched its own military industrial programs. By 1999, the KSEW had built its first long range attack submarine, the Agosta 90B, which featured AIP technology purchased from France in 1995. By early 2000, a joint venture with China led to the introduction of the JF-17 fighter jet (developed in PAC) and the al-Khalid main battle tank, built and assembled in HIT. Since 2001, Pakistan has taken major steps towards becoming self-sufficient in aircraft overhaul and modernization and tank and helicopter sales.[110]

In many important events in Pakistan's memory, the air force has played a pivotal, influential, and extremely crucial role nation's defence and national security issues as well as promoting the sense of security in the civil society.[92][131][132][133] In addition, its military importance and criticality in public perception contributes to dominance by the air force over other inter-service branch.[134] Poised on the threshold of tomorrow, the air force officially uses its slogan: "Second to None"; fully abreast with the requisite will and mechanism to live by its standards in the coming millennium and beyond."[135]

Historically, the air force has heavily dependent on American, Chinese, and French-built aircraft technology to support its growth, despite the imposing Pressler amendment.[102] While the F-16s continues to be a backbone of the air force,[136] the local development and quick production of the JF-17 have provided an alternative route to meet its combat aerial requirements.[137] According to PAF accounts, the air force plans retire several of its aging French-licensed Mirage-III and Mirage 5 fighter jets.[138]

Existence of the navy came into 1947 by the Indian Muslims naval officers serving in Royal Navy, the prefix Royal was added until it was dropped when Pakistan became an Islamic republic in 1956.[154] Its prime responsibility is to provide protection of nation's sea ports, marine borders, ~1,046km (650 mi) coastlines, and supporting the nation's national security and peacekeeping missions.[155] Currently commissioned ~71 warships and ~36,000 active duty personnel, its operational scope has since increased and expanded given to the greater national and international responsibility in countering the threat of sea-based global terrorism, drug smuggling and trafficking issues.[156]

Since its inception, the Navy heavily depended on the American-built naval technology and operated a large infrastructure from 1947-71.[154] The Navy Day is celebrated on 8 September to commemorate its service in 1965 war.[158] After the 1971 war with India, the navy lost its 1/3 its force in the war.[158] The U.S.Embargo placed in the 1990s, the navy engaged in mastering the AIP technology bought from French Navy and built the Agosta-90Bs, in which, two of these (as well as one of the new frigates) were built at Pakistan's own facilities in Karachi.[159] The navy's Surface Fleet consists of helicopter carriers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious assault ships, patrol ships, mine-countermeasures, and miscellaneous vessels.[160] Established in 1972, the Naval Air Arm provides fleet air defence, maritime reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. Donated by the air force, the Navy pilots now operates the Mirage 5 equipped with Exocet system.[160] Its fleet of P-3C Orion, equipped with ELINT system, plays a pivotal role in navy's gathering on intelligence.[161] Since 2001, the navy has emphasized its role and now expanded its operational scope in all over the country with the establishment of the Naval Strategic Forces Command which is based in Islamabad.

In the 1990s, the navy lost its opportunity to equip itself with latest technology and was forced to negotiate with the Royal Navy to acquire aging destroyers which were continued to be extensively upgraded, under very favourable conditions in 1993-94.[160] During the same time, the Navy engaged in process of self-reliance and negotiated with China for assistance.[160] This ultimately led the introduction of F-22P frigates which were designed and developed at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works; also the same time, the Agosta-90B were also built.[160] Its role in War on Terror led to a rapid modernization, which saw the induction of the PNS Alamgir–anti-submarine warship– in 2011.[162] The submarines are remain to be backbone of the navy,[163] and is now developing an ingenious nuclear submarine.[164] Since 2001, the media reports have been surfaced that navy has been seeking to enhance its strategic strike capability by developing naval variants of the nuclear cruise missile.[165] The Babur cruise missile has a range of 700 km and is capable of using both conventional and nuclear warheads.[166] Future developments of Babur include capability of being launched from submarines, surface combatants as well as range extension from 500 km to 1000 km. The Airborne version of Babur, Ra'ad, has already been successfully tested.[166] Since the 1990s, the navy has been conducting a joint naval exercise and has been participated in CTF-150 and the CTF-151.[167]

Recommendations by the Navy roughly based on Royal Marines, the Pakistan Marines were established in September 1971 to undertake riverine operations operations in the East Pakistan.[169] The Marines saw its first combat actions in Barisal during the East-Pakistani crises, fighting against the Indian Army.[170][171] Due to poor combat performance in the war, high losses and casualties, and inability to effectively counter the Indian Army, the Marines were decommissioned by the Navy by 1974.[171] However, Marines continued to exist in its rudimentary form till 1988 to meet fundamental security requirements of Pakistan Navy units. In 1990, the Marines were recommissioned under Commander M. Obaidullah.[169]

The Marines are not the separate branch but an amphibious component of the Navy and its appointments directly comes from the Navy.[170][171][172] Therefore, it shares the similar rank code with the Navy; though the combat training is provided by the army at the PMA Kakul.[169][173] Its single command structure is based at the Qasim Marine Base in Karachi and the Marines are under the command of the Commander Coast (COMCOAST), by statue a two-star rank Rear-Admiral.[174] According to the ISPR, the Marines are deployed at the southeastern regions of Pakistan to avoid infiltration and undercover activities from the Indian Army.[172]

For intelligence purposes, the army immediately raised the combat battalion of the Marines, from the officers of the Navy, in 1999.[178] Major intelligence activities are gathered from the Sir Creek region by the Marines, and the entire battalion is deployed at the region to conduct its recon activity to manage its military intelligence in advance.[169][178]

[2]Grade authorized for use by Ayub Khan (for self-appointment) in 1962; since then it was never awarded[3]Grade never created or authorized[4]Not a separate branch, appointments directly from the Navy